Folding baby-carriage



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. P. PLOUP. I FOLDING BABY CARRIAGE. No, 504,817. Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

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No. 504,817 Patented Sept. 12, 1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

FELIX F. PLOUF, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FOLDING BABY-CARRIAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,817, dated September 12, 1893.

Application filed August 9,1892. Serial No. M2592. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FELIX F. PLOUF, of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Folding Baby-Carriages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in baby carriages and the objects I have in view are to provide a baby carriage that, when not 1n use, may be folded up so asto be capable of being put into a small space, either for storage or transportation.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved baby carriage. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the main supporting bar. Fig. 5 is an end view showing the baby carriage in its folded position. Fig. 6 is plan view of the same with the body or basket removed. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are details of the folding mechanism. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the standard used for supporting the basket. Fig. 14: is a perspective view of a box I may use in place of the basket. Fig. 15 is a similar view showing the box folded up. Fig. 16 is a detail showing the means for fastening this box upon the frame.

In the drawings, 2-2 represent the axles of the carriage and 3-3 the wheels. The wheels are of any size and construction and the axles are provided with the hinged ends 5, that are pivotally supported upon the main part of the axle and are arranged to be locked in position so as to form a continuation thereof, or to be turned around into a position at right angles thereto, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 11 and as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

I may use any suitable construction for the axle and any suitable means for looking it in position. As here shown I have provided a spring bolt 9, arranged within the axle and adapted to spring into notches in the swinging end thereof. These bolts are preferably provided with the lugs 11, extending through a slot in the axle and connected to the rods 13. These rods are arranged on the axle and extend with their inner ends near to each other, as shown in Fig. 11. Said ends are preferably provided with the hooks 15.

When desired the rod may be drawn back and the hooks made to engage each other by turning one or both of said rods as indicated in Fig. 6. In this case the springbolt will be drawn out of the notch that holds the pivoted end of the axle in the position shown by full lines in Figs. 11 and 12. I prefer, however, to make the part of the axle that has the notches in it of eccentric form, as shown in Fig. 12, so that when the bolts are drawn back and their operating rods are locked together they will free the first notch, but when the ends of the axles are turned round into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 12, the spring bolts will engage the second notches and hold the ends of the axles in this position. I do not wish to be confined, however, to any particular form or arrangement of locking device for this purpose, as any suitable means may be provided and employed in place of that herein shown. I provide connections between the axles that hold them in their proper position when the carriage is in use, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and at the same time permit said axles to be brought close to each other, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 when it is desired to fold up the carriage. For this purpose I pivot to each axle at a point near one end thereof a suitable rod, and to the opposite end of the other axle I pivot a tube or tubular rod. I then arrange these rods so that they extend into the tubes and provide means for holding the tubes and rods in the proper relation to each other. These rods and tubes may be connected to the axles in any suitable manner.

As here shown I have provided the lugs or castings 17 and in them I pivot the short bars 19, having threaded ends that screw into the ends of the tubes 21. I also provide upon the axles thelugs 18, corresponding to the lugs 17 and inthese I pivot the rods 23. The ends of these rods extend into the tubes 21. The tubes 21 cross each other and when the rods are drawn out from said tubes. the rods and tubes form braces 'for said axles and hold them apart, as shown in Fig. 2. I provide means also for connecting the tubes together and also for holding the rods when they are in the position indicated by Fig. 2. For this purpose I provide a sleeve 25 upon each of said tubes, and these sleeves are pivotally connected together so as to be capable of turning one upon the other. This permits said tubes to assume an angle in respect to each other. I also provide springdogs 27, preferably arranged upon the tubes and adapted to project through suitable slots in the walls of the tubes into the interior thereof as shown in Fig. 8. I preferably provide upon the tube the sliding ring or ferrule 28, and this ring when pushed away from the fixed point of the spring dog 27 permits the catch to project through the slot in the tube, as shown at the upperpart of Fig. 8,but when said catch is drawn back toward the fixed end of said catch the catch is raised out of the slot so as to leave the interior of the tube free and permit the rod 23 to telescope into said tube. \Vhen the axles are drawn apart so as to bring the rods out to the limit of their movement the dogs 27 spring into the openings in the tubes and form stops for the ends of the rods. The axles are then in the position shown in Fig. 1 and are firmly braced and held in this position, and when in this form the ends of the axles are turned into line with the main portion thereof, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 11 and as shown in Fig. 1. When the carriage is to be folded up the dogs 27 are drawn out so as to disengage the ends of the rods 23 and said rods are then pushed back into the tubes until they occupy the position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, thus bringing the axles close together and at the same the ends of the axles are turned round upon their pivots so as to bring the wheels into the position shown in Fig. 6, where they overlap each other and lie close to the mai portions of the axles.

Any suitable locking device may be used for holding the rods or tubes in their drawn out or extended position. The means that I have here shown Ifind to be efficient for this purpose, but any other suitable catch device may be substituted in place therefor.

Secured upon the forward axle are the spring standards 35, each of said standards having at its upper end the rectangular clasp 37, preferably formed integrally with said standard. This clasp, stands upon the incline as shown in Fig. 1, so that its upper part is farther forward than its lower part, and these two clasps at opposite ends of the axle support the basket as hereinafter described. Said basket consists of the side bars 39 having their forward ends engaging said clasps 37, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the rear ends of said bars are pivotallyconnected to the cross bar 41 by the pivots 43. Each bar is preferably made in two sections connected together by a hinge 45, said hinge, when the basket is in position, being upon the upper side of the bar, in which case it will be seen that any downward strain upon the bar tends to hold the two parts in line with each other,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The basket that is supported upon these bars is preferably formed with cord or similar material, being constructed substantially in the same manner as a hammock, and being provided with aseries of loops through which the bars 39 pass. WVhen the bars are in engagement with the clasp 37 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, they substantially fill said clasp and are incapable of being turned around therein. Each bar is, however, preferably provided at a point near its center with a groove 47, extending around its circumference. \Vhen it is desired to fold up said basket the basket is pushed forward until said grooves come into said olasps, as shown in Fig. 4. The bars are then turned over, turning on the pivots 43 so as to bring the hinges on the under side of the bar, as shown in Fig. 4. Then the bar is folded up on its hinge thereby bringing the parts into the position as shown in Fig. 5, in which the basket is folded close together and the main portion of the basket being formed of cord or similar material, drops down against the bars and occupies but a small space.

The handle 51 is preferably made in two sections, hinged together and secured upon the rear axle and when the carriage is folded up the upper section folds over the basket and its side bars as shown in Fig. 5, in which position it may be secured by a suitable hook 53.

In place of using the basket shown and described, I may use a folding box 57, that is provided with folding sides and ends as shown in Figs. 14 and 15 and with the hook shaped plates 59 arranged upon the upper edges of the sides and adapted to engage the side bars 39, as shown in detail in Fig. 16. In this instance when it is desired to fold up the carriage the box will be removed and folded up into the position shown in Fig. 15.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the jointed axles and wheels of the telescoping bars and tubes connecting said axles, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the axles, of the tubes pivotally connected at or near their ends with each other, of the rods pivotally connected to the opposite axle and projecting into said tubes.

3. The combination with the axle, of the tubes pivoted to one of said axles, and rods pivoted to the opposite axle and projecting into said tubes, the ferrules 25 pivotally connecting said tubes to each other, and the spring dogs 27 adapted to project into openings in said tubes and engage ends of said rods, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the axle provided with the pivoted extension at its opposite ends, spring bolts engaging said extension, the lugs 11 connected with said bolts, the rods 13 engaging said lugs and supported upon said axle, and provided with the hooks 15 for the purpose specified.

5. The combination with the axles, provided with the pivoted extensions, the wheels arranged upon said extensions, and the telescoping connections between said axles, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the running gear, of the spring standards 35 secured upon the forward axle, the folding bars 39 supported upon said standards, and the basket supported upon said bars.

'7. The combination with the forward axle, of the spring standards 35 secured thereon and provided with the clasps 37 at their upper ends, the bars 39 engaging said clasps, the cross bar 41, to which said bars 39 are pivotally connected, the groove 47 and the hinge 45, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the spring standards 35, provided with rectangular clasp 37, of the rectangular bar 39 arranged to fit in said clasp and provided with the groove 47, said bar being formed in two sections connected by hinge 45, for the purpose specified.

9. The combination with the axles, provided with the pivoted extensions, and the diagonal sliding connections between said axles, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the axles provided with the pivoted extensions, the wheels arranged thereon, the sliding connections between said axles, the folding basket secured upon one of said axles and the folding handle upon the other, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the cross pieces, of the tube pivoted to one of the same, the rods pivoted to the opposite cross piece and projecting into said tubes, the ferrules pivotally connecting said tubes to each other, and means for locking the rods in said tubes, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of August, 1892.

FELIX F. PLOUF.

In presence of- A. 0. PAUL, M. E. GoRLEY. 

